Group I. No. 229 






Price 10 cents 




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^'' AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHISG Co.'^^ 

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America'sNational Game 

By A. G. SPALDING 

Price, $2.00 Net 

A book of 600 pages, profusely illustrated with over 100 
full page engravings, and having sixteen forceful cartoons 
by Homer C. Davenport, the fsumous American artist 



The above work should have a place in every 
public library in this country, as also in the 
libraries of public schools and private houses. 

The author of "America's National Game" 
is conceded, always, everywhere, and by every- 
body, to have the best equipment of any living 
writer to treat the subject that forms the text 
of this remarkable volume, viz., the story of 
the origin, development and evolution of Base 
Ball, the National Game of our country. 

Almost from the very inception of the game 
until the present time — as player, manager and 
magnate— Mr. Spalding has been closely iden- 
tified with its interests. Not infrequently he 
has been called upon in times of emergency 
to prevent threatened disaster. But for him 
the National Game would have been syn- 
dicated and controlled by elements whose 
interests were purely selfish and personal. 

The book is a veritable repository of in- 
formation concerning players, clubs and 
personalities connected with the game in 
its early days, and is written in a most 
interesting style, interspersed with enlivening anecdotes and 
accounts of events that have not heretofore been published. 

The response on the part of the press and the public to 
Mr. Spalding's efforts to perpetuate the early history of the 
National Game has been very encouraging and he is in receipt 
of hundreds of letters and notices, a few of which are here given. 

Robert Adamson, New York, writing from the office of Mayor 
Gaynor, says: — "Seeing the Giants play is my principal recreation and 
I am interested in reading everything I can find about the game. I 
especially enjoy what you [Mr. Spalding] have written, because you 
stand as the highest living authority on the game." 

Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the Pittsburg National League club: — "It 
does honor to author as well as the game. I have enjoyed reading it 
very much." 

Walter Camp, well known foot ball expert and athlete, says: — "It 
is indeed a remarkable work and one that I have read with a great 
deal of interest." 

John B. Day, formerly President of the New York Nationals :-- 
*'Your wpnderful work will outlast all of us." 




W. Trvinc Snyder formerly of the house of Peck & Snyder:— •*! 
have read the book from cover to cover with great interest." 

Andrew Peck, formerly of the celebrated firm of Peck & Snyderw- 
"All base ball fans should read and see how the game was conducted in 
early years." 

Melville E. Ssione, New York, General Manager Associated Press: — 
"I find it full ot valuable information and very interesting. I prize 
it very highly." 

George Barnak Chicago: — "Words fail to express my appreciation 
of the book. It carries me back to the early days of base ball and 
makes me feel like a young man again." 

Charles W. Muki-hy, President Chicago National League club: — 
"The book is a very valuable work and will become a part of every 
base ball library in the country." 

John F. Morrill, Boston, Mass., old time base ball star. — "I did 
not think it possible for one to become so interested in a book on base 
ball, I do not find anything in it which I can criticise." 

Ralph D. Paine, popular magazine writer and a leading authority on 
college sport: — "I have been reading the book with a great deal of 
interest. 'It fills a long felt want,' and you are a national benefactor 
for writing it." 

Gen. Fred Funston, hero of the Philippine war: — "I read the book 
with a great deal of pleasure and was much interested in seeing the 
account of base ball among the Asiatic whalers, which I had written 
for Harper's Round Table so many years ago." 

DeWolf Hopper, celebrated operatic artist and comedian: — "Apart 
from the splendid history of the evolution of the game, it perpetuates 
the memories of the many men who so gloriously sustained it. It should 
be read by every lover of the sport." 

Hugh Nicol, Director of Athletics, Purdue University, Lafayette, 
Ina.: — "No one that has read this book has appreciated it more than I. 
Ever since I have been big enough, I have been in professional base 
ball, and you can imagine how interesting the book is to me." 

Mrs. Britton, owner of the St. Louis Nationals, through her treas- 
urer, H. D. Seekamp, writes: — "Mrs. Britton has been very much 
interested in the volume and has read with pleasure a number of 
chapters, gaining valuable information as to the history of the game." 

Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, D.D., New York: — "Although I am not 
very much of a 'sport,' I nevertheless believe in sports, and just at 
the present time in base ball particularly. Perhaps if all the Giants 
had an opportunity to read the volume before the recent game (with 
the Athletics) they might not have been so grievously outdone." ' 

Bruce Cartwright, son of Alexander J. Cartwright. founder of the 
Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, the first organization of ball players in 
existence, writing from his home at Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, says: 
— "I have read the book with great interest and it is my opinion that 
no better history of base ball could have been written." 

George W. Frost, San Diego, Calif.: — "You and 'Jim' White, George 
Wright, Barnes, McVey, O'Rourke, etc., were little gods to us back 
there in Boston in those days of '74 and '75, and I recall how indig- 
nant we were when you 'threw us down' for the Chicago contract. 
The book is splendid. I treasure it greatly." 

A. J. Reach, Philadelphia, old time professional expert: — "It certainly 
is an interesting revelation of the national game from the time, years 
before it was so dignified, up to the present. Those who have played 
the game, or taken an interest in it in the past, those at present en- 
gaged in it, together with all who are to engage in it, have a rare 
treat in store." 

Dr. Luther H. Gulick, Russell Sage Foundation:— "Mr. Spalding 
has been the largest factor in guiding the development of the game 
and thus deserves to rank with other great men of the country who 
have contributed to its success. It would have added to the interest 
of the book if Mr. Spalding could have given us more of his own 
personal experiences, hopes and ambitions in connection with the game." 



SPALDINf; ATHLETIC LIBRARY 



a 



Giving the Titles of all Spalding Athletic Library Books now 
; :> in print, grouped lor ready relerence (^ - ^ 



SPALDING OFFICIAL ANNUALS 



No. 

1 Spalding 
lA Spalding 
IC Spalding 

2 Spalding 
2A Spalding 
4 Spalding 

6 Spalding 

7 Spalding 
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1 2A Spalding 



s Official Base Ball Guide 
's Official Base Ball Record 

s Official College Base Ball Annual 

s Official Foot Ball Guide 

s Official Soccer Foot Ball Guide 
's Official Lawn Tennis Annual 

s Official Ice Hockey Guide 

s Official Basket Ball Guide 
's Official Women's Basket Ball Guide 

s Official Indoor Base Ball Guide 

s Official Athletic Rules 



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No. 1 Spalding's Official Jiasr Hall 

G wide 
No. lA Official Base Ball Record 
No. ic College base Ball Annual 
No. 202 How to Play Base Ball 
No. Z23 How to Bat 
No. 232 How to Run Bases 
No. 230 How to Fitch 
No. 22y How to Catch 
No. 225 How to Play First Base 
No 225 How to I'lay Second Base 
No. 227 How to Play Thiid Base 
No. 228 How to Play Shortstop 
No. i:24 How to Play the Outfield 

fHow to Organize a Base Ball 
League 
How to Organize a Base Ball 
Club 
»T^ How to Manage a Base Ball 

^%. < Club 
"^ I How toTraina Base Ball Team 
I How to Captain a Base Ball 

Team 
I How to Umpire a Game 
L Technical Base Ball Terms 
No. 219 Ready Reckoner of Base Ball 

Percentages 
No. 350 How to Score 



BASE BALL AUXILIARIES 
No. 355 Minor League Ba.se Ball Guic 
No. 356 Orticial Pook National Leagut 

of Prof. Base Ball Clubs 
No. 340 Official Handbook National 
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Group II. Foot Ball 

No. 2 Spalding's Official Foot Ball 

(luidv 
No. 2 a Sp(ddinq's Official Soccer Foot 

Ball Cniide 
No. 335 How to Play Rugby. 

FOOT BALL AUXILIARIES 
No. 351 Official Rugby Foot Ball 

Guide 
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No, 



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Group VII. Basket Ball 

No. 7 Spalding' s Official Basket Ball 

Guide 
No. 7a Spalding's Official Women's 

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No. 193 How to Play Basket Ball 

BASKET BALL AUXILIARY 

No. 353 Official Collegiate Basket Ball 
Handbook 

Group VIII. Lacrosse 

No. 201 How to Play Lacrosse 

Group IX. Indoor Base Ball 

No. 9 Spalding's Official Indoor 
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No. 129 Water Polo 
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No 138 Croquet 

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XT io< (Racquets. Squash-Racquets 

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No. 12a Spalding's Official Athletic 
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No. 156 Athletes' Guide 

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No. 259 How to Become a Weight 
Thrower 

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No. 55 Official Sporting Rules 

No. 246 Athletic Training for School- 
boys 

No. 317 Marathon Running 

No. 331 Schoolyard Athletics 

No. 22 How to Sprint 

No. 342 Walking for Health and Com 
petition 



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No. 302 Y. M. C. A. Official Handbook 
No. 313 Public Schools Athletic 

League Official Handbook 
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Group XIII. Athletic Accomplishments 

No. 23 Canoeing 

No. 128 How to Row 

No. 209 How to Become a Skater 

No. 178 How to Train for Bicycling 

No. 282 Roller Skating Guide 



Group XIV. 



Manly Sports 



No. 165 Fencing (By Senac) 

No. 102 Ground Tumbling 

No. 143 Indian Clubs and Dumb Bells 

No. 2li2 Medicine Ball Exercises 

No. 29 Pulley Weight Exercises 

No. 191 How to Punch the Bag 

No. 2S9 Tumbling for Amateurs 

Group XV. Gymnastics 

No. 254 Barnjum Bar Bell Drill 

No. 214 Graded Calisthenics and 

Dumb Bell Drills. 
No. 124 How to Become a Gymnast 
No. 287 Fancy Dumb Bell and March- 
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No. 327 Pyramid Building Without 

Apparatus 
No. 329 Pyramid Building with 
Wands, Chairs and Ladders 

GYMNASTIC AUXILIARY 
No. 345 Official Handboolc I. C. A. A. 
Gymnasts of America 



Group XVI. 



Physical Culture 



No. 161 Ten Minutes' Exercise for 
Busy Men. 

No. 149 Care of the Body 

No. 285 Health by Muscular Gym- 
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No. 208 Physical Education and Hy- 
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No. 185 Hints on Health 

No. 234 School Tactics and Maze Run- 
ning. 

No. 238 Muscle Building 

No. 288 Indigestion Treated by Gym- 
nastics 

No. 213 285 Health Answers 

No. 325 Twenty-Minute Exercises 



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SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 

Group I -^ No. 229 



HOW 

TO 

CATCH 





New York 

AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING COMPANY 

21 Warren Street 






Copyright. 1914 

BY 

American Sports Publishing Compan- 
New York 



§)aA376129 

JUN 1 1914 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



INTRODUCTION 

Give a manager of experience liis ciioice of one first-class 
player around which to build a team and he will choose a catcher. 

If you wish to become the hardest worked meml)er of a team, 
put on a mask, protector and big mitt and get behind the bat. 
You will get little credit for a good part of your work, but will 
be doing more for the success of the team than any single mem- 
ber of it, provided you hold down the position properly. 

No team in the history of the game has ever been a success 
without a catcher ranking among the first fiight, and sustained 
success is impossible without one. Wilbert Robinson had more 
to do with the phenomenal success of the three-time pennant-win- 
ning Baltimore Orioles of 1894, 1895 and 1896 than the superficial 
observer would be apt to imagine. Jack O'Connor was one of 
the men who made Pittsburg a pennant winner and when he left, 
the Pirates were dealt a blow which told in 1904 when the old 
pitchers had left the team or ceased to be effective. Lou CrigCx- 
and Farrell made the Boston team a pennant winner and after 
that world's champions. With Johnny Kling the Chicagos were 
pennant winners. Without him it lost the flag. Roger Bresnahan 
was prominent in New York's pennant winning. And the rule 
that a good catcher goes far toward making a good team, goes 
back to the time when a catcher wore no gloves and was known 
by his broken and gnarled hands, though he was not of as much 
importance then as he is now so far as brain work was concerned. 

The reason for the importance of a good catcher can more 
easily, be understood when his position is taken into considera- 
tion. He is the only player who has a view of the entire field at 
all times and who is in a position to see everything that goes on. 
lie is at the point where all of the fielding interests centers with 
a batter up, and his signals can be seen by all of his own 
players while invisible to the opposing ones. 




CATCHER DOOIN, 



Sl'ALDINC'S ATIILETIO LIBRARY. 5 

Even the pitcher is (loi)en(kMit upon the catcher fur his success 
to no small extent. Upon the catcher falls the duty of signaling 
what kind of a ball is to be pitched. It is to him that a young 
pitcher owes much of his success or failure. An older pitcher 
may protect himself to some extent by refusing to pitch a ball 
called for by the catcher and giving his own signals for another, 
but one who is new to the game must place reliance on his 
receiver. Even an older pitcher will iind it to his advantage to 
allow the catcher to decide upon what is to be pitched, as the 
latter has a better chance to judge the batter than the. pitcher. 
On a major league team young talent must be broken in right 
along to take the place of that lost, and an old and experienced 
catcher is of untold value in this work. 

The catcher is the first man on the team to see incorrect play- 
ing in the field and he must have the entire team well in hand. 
With men on bases he must plan plays to catch the runners and 
signal the inheld accordingly. In the meantime he must be 
working the batter. A catcher of the right sort must be the 
concentrated brain power of the team. Besides this he must do 
his share of the mechanical work, some of the hardest on the 
team. He must stand up in front of swift pitching and hard- 
driven fouls, and on foul flies he must do work which requires 
fleetness of foot and a good eye. 

With all of the hard work the only plays for which a catcher 
gets much credit are throwing to a base to catch a runner and 
catching foul flies. These are the only ones which are spectacular 
and they go to make up but a small per cent, of the work which 
brings real success behind the bat. 




J, Strunk scores in fifth inning of fourth game; 2, Oldring safe at home in 
lifth game; 3, Merkle makes a home run in the seventh inning of fourth 
t'ame; Burns and Murr-ay also scored on this hit; 4, 01dring,,out at homie in 
the first inning of fourth game; 5, Mclnnes scoring first run for Athl.etigs 
in fourth game Copyright, 1M!'3, hy International News Service, N. Y. 

SCENES IN THE WORLD'S SERIES. WiQ 



Sl'ALDl^G•S ATHT.KTir T.TRRARTf. 



THE KEY-NOTE OF CATCHING 

John J. Klinj^. a famous catcher, gives the foHowing ad- 
vice on playing his position: 

The secret of intelligent, successful catching must ever be in 
detecting the batter's weakness and signalling the pitcher to take 
full advantage of it. 

Some batters have many weaknesses, some have few, while 
the batting kings have apparently none at all, but the aspiring 
catcher can depend upon it that there has never been and never 
will be a batter so great as not to have some vulnerable point. 

The catching position is one, therefore, that calls for a constant 
battle of wits between its occupant and the man standing in the 
batsman's box. You may talk about your throwing, your ability 
to stop bad deliveries and your blocking runners from scoring 
at the plate, but all of these things, while decided essentials in 
the work of the catcher, pale into insignificance when compared 
with the ability to keep the batsman from hitting safely. Every 
l)atter is endeavoring to make a safe hit and the more the catcher 
materially aids in preventing him from accomplishing that laud- 
able purpose, the fewer chances he will have to test his throwing 
ability or his skill in tagging a runner as he endeavors to slide 
under or Swerve around the waiting ball and cross the plate. 

In ninety-nine cases out of one hundred, it is the catcher's duty 
and privilege to signal the kind of ball the pitcher should deliver 
to the batsman. The importance, then, of the catcher signalling 
for the most efifective ball for that particular batter and at that 
particular time can readily be seen. And how can the catcher 
act blindly — on mere guess work? In taking his place behind 
the bat, the first thing a catcher should do is to try to discover 
the batter's weakness and then signal to the pitcher accordingly. 

Should the batsman come to the plate showing signs of trying 
to place the ball in right field — an intention the alert catcher will 




1, Burns scores for the Giants; 2, Collins steals second in first game, Fletcher 
attempting the put-out; Baker brought him in with a home run; 3, A quick 
throw from Marquard to Merkle catches Oldring off first; 4, Collins putting 
out Fletcher on an attempted steal by the latter; 5. Shaf er out at second on a 
perfect throw by Lapp to Collins. Copyright. 1913, by Int. News Service. 

SCENES IN THE WORLD'S SERIES. 1913 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. t 

soon detect by noting the position in which he stands — he should 
signal the pitcher to pitch inside and high. Should the batsman 
give indications of trying to place a hit in left field, have the 
pitcher deliver the ball on the outside. This method of procedure 
"crosses" the batsman most effectively. 

Now, this is only one form of displaying headwork, and head- 
work is the thing that makes a catcher successful. He must 
first have the natural qualifications for the position, of course, 
but much of the mechanical skill shown by a catcher comes only 
after careful study. With all of the natural qualifications, there 
can be no real success without good headwork. Before the 
present scientific game came into existence headwork may have 
been of less importance, but every catcher kntnvs how important 
it is at the present time. 

The catcher must be to a large extent in command of the game. 
His position forces this upon him, as he is the only one who can 
command a view of the entire game. On him must always rest 
to no small extent the duty of engineering plays while the oppos- 
ing team is at bat and upon the success of these depends much 
of the team's success. Ha catcher weakens at a critical point 
there is but little hope of winning, as errors by him are not only 
costly but they w^ill unsteady the team as well. 

A catcher must have a good eye and a clear head at all tin>es. 
The mechanical work behind the bat is enough to keep him busy, 
but in addition to that he must know all about inside work and 
keep this information where he can call upon it at a second's 
notice. He must be able to see the move of a base runner 
which ijidicates his intention to try for another base and keep in 
touch with the infield to prevent a steal or cut off a hit and 
run play. 

The most notable instance of the effectiveness possible occurred 
during the World's series with Detroit in 1908, when three men 
were caught off the bases and not a ball was hit. 

Davy Jones was on third. vSchaefer on first and Cobb at the 
bat. Schaefer attempted to steal second. As the ball was 
pitched wide, a bluff throw was made to head off Schaefer, but 
instead Davy Jones was nipped ofif third. 




SWEENEY. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. H 

The next ball pitched was a "ball," making two balls on the 
batter. As Schaefer was taking a big lead off of second, Brown, 
who was pitching, pitched out and a snap throw was made to 
Evers, who caught Schaefer off the bag. That made three balls 
for the batter and as the next ball was a bad one, Cobb walked. 
He attempted to steal second on the first ball pitched to the suc- 
ceeding batsman, and was caught stealing. 

The foregoing instance is only notable because of the unusual 
number of consecutive put-outs made by quick thinking and 
action. The catcher's daily work is full of such instances, mostly 
of a separate nature. Upon his ability to think and ac": quickly 
depends the success of his team in each game to a very large 
extent. ■ 

In addition to all of this the catcher must keep the pitcher 
going at top speed and use his abilities to the best advantage. The 
exacting work of a catcher is one of the reasons why few of the 
younger generation of ball players are coming out as first-class 
men. 

The natural qualifications for a catcher do not place so much of 
a limit on a youngster trying for the position. A catcher to be 
successful, however, must be a stoutly-built chap or he will not 
stand the hard knocks he is constantly getting without being 
forced to remain out of the game a great part of the time owing 
to injuries. A good arm is one of a catcher's most valuable 
assets and his chances for success with a poor one are nil. The 
strain on a catcher's arm is almost as severe as that on the 
pitcher's, owing to the quick snap he is forced to use. If you 
have a good arm take care of it. Many players injure them- 
selves by cutting loose in the spring before their arms have had a 
chance to toughen up. Take it easy until you feel sure of your- 
self and then the danger of getting a sore arm will be reduced to 
the minimum. 

In conclusion, the best advice to give a young catcher is to take 
the best care of himself. Perfect physical condition has not a 
little to do with success, and if you take care of yourself during 
the time between the seasons you will be in better condition 
during the season. 




1, Shafer safe at first; 2, Herzog- puts Baker out ac third; 3, Schang reaches 
second on a throw-in of his single which scorod two runs in the fourth game; 
4, Baker scores a home run in first game; 5, Burns put out by Baker after 
being trapped between second and third in first game; 6, Matty safe at 
second in second game. Copyright, 1913, by International News Service. 

SCENES IN THE WORLD'S SERIES, 1913 



SPALDING'S ATHLIOTIC IJBRARY. 15 



VIEWS OF A VETERAN 

By Lou Criger. 

A good arm and a good head are the two things which go 
u ^elher to make a good catcher. One is of no great use witliout 
irte other — but combined, they insure success. A good arm fre- 
quently fails because the brain to use it is lacking. This is true 
not only in running the game but in developing your throwing 
as well. A good many catchers have arms that are perfectly 
sound and which give them no trouble, yet they fail to use them 
to the best advantage owing to a failure to study out the best 
way in which to handle themselves. 

To a light man headwork is of even more importance than it 
is to one built on stouter lines. The latter can take more hard 
knocks without being injured and forced out of the game while 
a lighter built man must do quick thinking when he takes chances 
with a runner at the plate. "Sand" is one of the things a catcher 
must be long on, but even if he is, it will do him no good if he 
does not avoid being hurt whenever he can do so. Fearlessness 
is one of the things which will prevent a catcher from being 
injured, provided it is coupled with a cool head and clear judg- 
ment, but mere rashness does little good. 

Headwork in a catcher is of the utmost value to his team. A 
catcher who knows his own players and those of the opposing 
team can pull off plays which would be impossible without that 
knowledge. This is especially true in regard to the opposing bat- 
ters. A catcher is in a good position to tell what a batter is 
doing and a little headwork will frequently result in an easy 
out or even a double play when there are men on bases. Try to 
trick a batter into looking for a certain kind of ball. Then call 
for another and there is a good chance of sneaking a strike over. 
Constant study is necessary in order to know your batters, as 




1, Bush; ■_'. Liipp; :j. E. Murphy; 4. .Slruuk; .l. (Jl.liiujj. 

A GROUP OF PHILADELPHIA AMERICANS— WORLD'S CHAMPIONS. 

Van Oeyen, Photos. 



SPALDING'S ATRLETIO LIBRARY. 15 

young playirs are constantly I)cing bivjUglit out. and even old 
ones may learn a new trick. 

In handling base runners a good understanding with your 
fielders is essential. You cannot work tricks to catch a man 
off base at all unless you know the men with whom you are 
working and have confidence in them. A hard feat for a catcher 
to perform is to catch men ofif first or third. Good condition 
plays an important figure in the game and this is best gained by 
taking good care of oneself at all times. During the playing 
season it is sometimes hard to keep from going stale in hot 
weather, but this will not worry a young catcher unless he is in a 
position where he is worked steadily. 

The catching position is not one that is recommended for 
one who expects an easy task, but for anyone really interested 
in the game it offers attractions that overcome the disadvantages. 
There is plenty to keep a thinking catcher busy all of the time, 
and success is in a large measure its own reward even where 
salary is not a consideration. 




1, Baker; 2, Collins; 3, Bender; 4, Schang; 5. Plank. 

A GROUP OF PHILADELPHIA AMERICANS— WORLD'S CHAMPIONS. 

Van Oeyen, Photos. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



PRIME REQUISITES 

In the first place the catcher must have a good arm. Having 
that, he should develop a snap throw, a quick, short snap of the 
arm from the shoulder. This style of throw is excellent to catch 
base runners and it would be a good idea for young catchers to 
practice it. In throwing to base one thing to avoid is taking too 
wide a step. The backstop wants to keep himself close together, 
as it were, and be in a position to make a quick throw to any 
base. You have better control of yourself that way, and for 
throwing to second especially you get the elevation you need for 
the long speedy throw. 

The accuracy of the catcher's throw sometimes depends on how 
the ball comes to him. The right foot is the pivot in throwing, 
and while the step is generally useful for throwing to all of the 
bases, the throw can be made to first or third without taking it. 
As previously said, it depends a good deal on how you get 
the ball. 

A catcher must have a clear head and be alert constantly. Also 
he must be a thinker. He thinks while he is behind the bat, and 
between innings he is thinking of who the opposing batters are 
in the next inning and how to deal with them. He must watch 
the batsmen as they come up and the men on the bases, if there 
are any. It is the catcher's business to study, the batsmen and 
learn what they can hit and what their weaknesses are. There 
are some batters who are hard to fool on anything, but all of 
them have a little weakness of some sort. 

Activity on the feet is a prime requisite. The backstop has to 
move for a pitched ball quickly if it is wide, and he must be ready 
to make that move. Another thing: Don't move too quickly — 
that is, too soon. If you do that, in the case of a pitch-out, for 
instance, vou are only telegraphing the base runner what is- doing. 




CARRIGAN, 



SrALDING'S ATIIT.ETIC LIBRARY, l9 

When a new batter comes to the plate, one whom you don't 
know what kind of a ball he can hit, feel him out. If he hits a 
high fast one and shows that he likes it, try him on something 
else the next time. You'll soon find out what he likes and 
doesn't like. 

It is a good plan for the budding catcher to pick out some 
lirst-class backstop to watch, study and copy. Practice in going 
after foul flies — something the catcher has to look after a great 
deal in a ball game — is a valuable thing to do every day. He 
should never neglect getting lots of practice in going after them. 

The catcher is the main point of a team in defensi\e work. 
Knowing" the batters as he does, or should, it is his duty to direct 
the fielders where to stand. Particularly does he direct a new 
fielder on his team where to play for the dififerent batters. His 
eys is on the whole arrangement of his fielders and on the indi- 
viduals. He must also know the strength and weaknesses of his 
own pitchers, know what the different pitchers can do, study 
their curves and the effectiveness of them as applied to the 
different batters. 

Backing up is something a catcher has to do now and then, 
but there are times when he mustn't go away from the plate and 
leave it uncovered. The only time he should back up is on a 
double play, but then not when there is a runner on second base 
or third base. In such an event, if the throw to first goes wild, 
the runner on second or third will come home if the plate is 
uncovered. There is enough exertion for the catcher without 
his tiring himself by a great deal of backing up. 

In stopping plays at the plate, touching runners there, it has 
been found that if the ball gets to the catcher before the runner 
arrives, the catcher has time to shift his feet and get them out of 
the way of the runner. Of course, if the ball and runner arrive 
at the same time, the catcher must hold his ground. If the 
runner slides for the plate, it is a good plan to slide with him — 
fall with him, that is. and in the s.-mie directicMi. It protects the 
catcher from the runner's shoe plate.-; in case tbey collide. 




1. Hull, k, L'. r,Aii\ . ; w .\i k II \ \ 



A GROUP OF PHILADELPHIA AMEItlCANS—WORLD'S PHAMPIONS. 

Van Oeyeu, Photos. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC I.IKKAKY. 



QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY 

Size and weight are important qualifications behind the bat. 
Small, light men have but little chance and should try for some 
other position where the probabilities for success are greater. 
A tall man of spare build may succeed, but even here success is 
doubtful. The best men behind the bat are those of solid build 
and a man weighing under 150 pounds stripped will succeed 
better elsewhere. The weight is required in order to stand up 
under the constant lire of the pitcher, in steadying oneself fo' 
throws to second and in withstanding the rough usage a catcher 
get', at the plate from base runners. The place where the most 
desperate c!:ances are taken by the runners as a rule is at the 
home plate and the catcher must stand the brunt of this. 

Absolute fearlessness is one of the cardinal (pialities of a grei^.t 
catcher and with this he must have a cool head, quickness of 
thought 'ind action and a good e}^. A catcher with these quali- 
ties is the making of a team. A good arm is an essential, b::t 
even some of those who have great ability in throwing when the 
bases are empty fall down with men on the bases. A quick, 
snappy throw is required of a catcher and this can only be accom- 
plished by leaving out the full swing used in throwing in the field. 
TNIost of the work is done l)y the arms with the assistance of the 
shoulders. Here is where weight comes in, as it gives a solid 
foundation for the throw. 

Extremely heavy men are still seen behind the bat but they are 
disappearing from the major leagues. Speed is a desirable quality 
in a catcher just as much as in any other player and weight is 
a hindrance to this. A fast man, other things being equal, will 
always be given the preference over a slow one, owing to his 
ability to get foul flies and run the bases. 

Summed up, the ideal catcher is one weighing, say, 160 or 170 
pounds, and well proportioned. If \-ou are inclined to be heavy 
it is the best position for which you can try and the one in whirh 
you are most likely to prove successful. 




<J.^ 



1, Mt'i-kle; J, Meyers; o, Fletcher; 4, Will.^e; o, Shal'er. 

V GROUP OF NEW YORK GIANTS— NATIONAL LEAGUE CrfAMPlONS. 

Coulon, rijptos. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBKAKY. 



REGULAR PLAYING POSITION 

Your position behind the bat must be such that yon can liandle 
pitched balls without danger of them getting a\va\- from you and 
also be in a position to cover the bases when there are runners 
on them. The rules require the catcher to stand directly behind 
the plate even when there is no necessity for this. 

The catcher has two jjositions. The lirsl is used before the 
ball is pitched and its main purpose is to exchange signals with as 
much secrecy as possible. In this, crouch well down with the 
feet together and hold the nn'tt in the angle formed by your body 
and thighs. If the hands and body are held right you can signal 
in such a way that your signs can be understood by your own 
pitchers and fielders without their being seen by the coaches of 
the other team. If there is a runner on second, however, you 
will have to be more careful, as he can see signals made in 
your mitt. Signals can then be exchanged by holding the hands 
up just in front of the eyes and making signs from under the 
mitt in such a way that they will be concealed from even your 
own players excepting the pitcher. Be sure to let your own 
fielders know what is coming in some way. 

The second position is the one taken as soon as your signal 
has been understood and accepted. Stand up with the body 
leaning forward and the glove and ungloved hand extended 
toward the pitcher, lie sure not to turn in the direction in which 
you expect the ball to come, as this will give the batter an idea 
of what to look fcjr. The hands should be held almost in line 
with the two edges of the plate so that your pitcher will know 
accurately the location of the latter without looking down at the 
rubber itself. The feet should be spread far enough apart to 
give you a firm stand, but do not sprawl out to such an extent as 
to prevent your jumping to either side or into the air with the 
greatest amount of speed. 




1. CiKipff; -2. (iraiit: ."i. ('raiidali : 1. McCurmick ; .'. 'I'lidiiH': G, Murray, 

A GROUP OF NEW YORK GIANTS— NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS. 

Coulou, I'Uotos, 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 25 

From this position you can handle wide pitches to either side 
of the plate or make a jump for a high-thrown ball. It will also 
allow you to start fast in getting foul flies. In throwing to base 
you can step out to either side with ease and send the ball down 
to the base with the least amount of delay. In setting yourself 
always pay attention to which side of the plate the batter stands 
and set yourself so as to be able to throw from the opposite side. 

In handling flies the main thing is to get a quick start. Never 
use both hands to pull off your mask. The latter should not be 
held on the head so tightly as to make getting it off at all difficult. 
Learn to flip \our mask off with one finger and send it to your 
rear where you will not be hampered by stepping on it. A quick 
start is e\ en more important than great speed after you get going, 
owing to the number of fouls which drop but a little way from 
you, attaining but little height. 

Catchers differ in their method of getting the ball away for a 
throw to the bases. Some of them take time to place the ball in 
their hand with the aid of the glove before throwing. Other's 
throw the ball just as they catch it without any particular atten- 
tion as to the grip they get. Always try to catch the ball in such 
a way that you will be able to get it firmly in your grasp, but 
unless you find that you cannot throw accurately without placing 
the ball, it is well^not to pay too much attention to this latter. It 
loses a fraction of a second, which is precious, and unless you 
have a very fast throw it will lose out for you. 




1, Burns; 'J. Bescher; o, Hearin'-. 4, Schupp; 5, Sobauer; G, Fromme. 

A GROUP OF NEW YORK GIANTS— NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS. 

Conlon, Photos, 



Sl'ALDINfi'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 27 



CATCHERS' INSIDE WORK 

Your most important business is to fool the batter and to 
do this you must study your batters and base runners and 
keep posted on changes in the game. You must know what 
kind of a ball your batter can hit best and where his weak point 
lies. Even if he is weak on a certain ball it is seldom safe to give 
him loo many of these or he will lay for one. Mix up your 
signals and especially is this the case when you are up against a 
batter you do not know. 

In working a batter there are some rules which it is safe to be 
guided by in case you do not know what your batter can hit. 
Straight balls are the ones easiest to hit and they should only be 
used after you have tried something else as a rule. The only 
case where the first ball called for should be a straight one is 
where a batter has the habit of letting the first ball pitched get 
past him. For a left-hand batter there is nothing safer than a 
curve, as a left-hand batter will kill a straight ball, as a rule. 
On the other hand, slow balls when mixed in with speed are 
extremely hard to hit and if hit they offer easy opportunities to 
the fielders as a rule. Balls inside of the plate close in to the 
batter are also hard to hit and all of the varieties just mentioned 
are good ones to use on an unknown batter. Mix them up, 
however. 

In order to fool the batsman signals must be used and upon 
their correct use depends much of the catcher's effectiveness. 
Signals vary all the way from the placing of your fingers on the 
glove in a certain way to the most complicated systems of using 
three or four signals for the same kind of play. The simplest 
kind of signals are the, best, provided they can not be seen and 
interpreted by the batsman or coaches. Be sure that you have 
your signals perfected and that the pitcher and other members 
of the team are thoroughly familiar with them. A misunder- 




1, Marquard; 2, Tesreau; 3, Mathewson; 4, Snodgrass; 5, Demaree; 6, 
Doyle. 

A GROUP OF NEW YORK GIANTS— NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS. 

Conlon, Photos. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 29 

Standing at a critical point will lead to serious results unless the 
signals are well understood all around. 

In using signals mix them up with headwork. Try to lead the 
batter into guessing wrong as to what you have signaled for. 
The pitcher can refuse a signal if he wants to and if you have 
an understanding with him you get him to refuse three or four 
signs and then signal for the original one. This gets the batter 
to guessing and that is what you want him to do. If you think 
the batter is on to one of your signals give it rather openly and 
then instantly change to another in such a way that he does not 
see it. Get all of your signals off fast, as this prevents their 
being readily read by the opposing players, but be sure you are 
understood before the pitcher delivers the ball. In connection 
with this you can sometimes mislead the batter by taking a posi- 
tion to catch a ball w^hich you do not intend to have pitched. 
Leaning over to one side or the other wall fool some batters into 
believing that the ball is coming to that side of the plate. 

In connection with your signal work, and while not actually 
related to it, there is the work of keeping the batter interested 
in something else than hitting the ball. If you can get a batter 
who will talk to you or who can not stand being talked to, that 
is your chance. Try to divert his attention from the pitcher — 
for the moment his entire attention is not given to the pitcher 
and ball, he is much easier to fool. Do anything you can legiti- 
mately to attain this result. 

In connection with signal work there is the placing of the 
fielders. The outfielders should be able to place themselves for 
batters, but if they do not, and the pitcher does not do this work 
himself, it is up to you. Use signs easily read by the outfielders 
or even wave them to the positions you desire them to occupy. 
The infielders can watch your signals to the pitcher and place 
themselves accordingly. 




MEYERS. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 31 



WORKING FOR BASE RUNNERS 

Of importance only secondary to working the batter is working 
for base runners. A good arm is necesary in this, but without a 
clear head and an ability to think quickly even the former will be 
of little use. The catcher's duty is to keep the batter and base 
runner ^rcm working together and thus break up offensive team 
work. In order to do this with success he must know both the 
batter and runner and their capabilities. 

The catcher's problem in preventing base stealing begins the 
minute a man reaches first. If there are no outs and the score 
is close the chances are for a bunt with the idea of sacrificing 
the man to second rather than an attempt to steal. Under these 
conditions signal for pitches in next the batter or fast low ones 
over the plate so that the batter will find it hard to control his 
bunt. With one out and a fast man on first a steal is to be looked 
for. Watch your runner and if you think he is going down 
signal to the pitcher for a ball well out from the plate so that 
you can whip the leather to second. Sometimes the runner is 
looking for this on the first ball pitched and he will also fail to 
go down on the second. He will be pretty sure to try it on the 
third in that case, and you had better take another chance and 
call for a third wide one. This play is risky with but one man 
out, as the batter may wait it out and get a base on balls, but 
with two down it is the correct play. 

With two men out a steal is almost certain to be tried, and 
here it is a case of playing for the runner more than the batter. 
The idea of working over wide ones until the runner takes a 
chance is a good one here unless you have a batter with an extra 
good eye and you think the man on first is so slow that he has 
been given instructions to wait it out as long as possible. 

When a runner does start to steal, straighten up quickly, take 
a small step forward and away from the batter and snap the ball 




A GROLT OF WASHINGTON AML'KiCAXS. 

Van Oeyen, Photos. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 33 

hard and fast. The quickness with which you get the ball away 
has as much to do with success in catching base runners as the 
speed with which it is thrown. Throws should reach second low 
and well inside of the bag. If the shortstop and second baseman 
are watching your signals one or the other will be there to get 
the ball, the one depending upon which you have signaled to. 
The matter of signaling to cover second must be governed by the 
way the batter is Ifkely to hit the ball and the capabilities of the 
men at short and second. When you are laying for a runner give 
your signal so that the man who is to cover the bag will know 
that an "out" is to be pitched and there is no danger of the ball 
being hit. 

In throwing to first to catch a man napping off that bag always 
signal the lirst baseman and be sure that he understands what 
you are going to do. Then signal for an "out" and snap the ball 
to first quick. Never let the base runner know what you are 
trying for— especially if you are trying to catch a man napping 
off any of the bags. With a man on second there is not so much 
danger of a steal, but keep your eyes open and make sure that 
the runner does not catch you napping. With men on first and 
second and an attempt to steal, hustle the ball to third and then 
back up behind the third baseman while the run down is being 
made. 

With men on second and third the only thing to watch out for 
is the man at third. 

Now we come to the most difficult situation a catcher has to 
face in handling base runners — the one with a man on first and 
one on third. Coolness, judgment and a good knowledge of the 
base runners are required here for success. All catchers do not 
play the same way at this point but the most logical one takes 
into consideration the batter who is up. With a poor batter up 
make a bluff to throw to second in order to draw the man at 
third off the bag and then try to catch the latter. This will allow 
the man at first to go down but you can then devote your atten- 
tion to the batter. With a good man at bat throw to second. If 
the man at third starts home the shortstop should take the throw 
inside of second and hurry it back to the plate. If he does not. 




1, Morgan; 2, Groome; 3, La Porte; 4, Shanks; 5, Alnsmlth; 6, Gandil. 

A GROUP OF WASHINGTON AMERICANS. 

Van Oeyen, Photos. 



SaWLDlXr.S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. Sf 

the second baseman takes the throw and trios for the man going 
down from first. This is the scientific way of handhng the play, 
but it takes perfect work to insure success. 

This brings us down to catching base runners at the home 
plate, and a catcher's sand and grit are brought out here. You 
must know how a man slides for home on close plays. If he 
comes in head first it is an easy matter to get him, but if feet 
first you must take your chances. If you have plenty of time 
you can fodl your man by side-stepping as he comes past and 
tagging him, but yr)i.i must be well toward third in doing this 
so as to be sure his feet do not cross the plate before the ball 
touches him. Some runners are timid and you can bluff them 
out of sliding into you, while others pay no attention, and these 
are the ones you want to watch for. On close plays you have 
got to take your chances with the base runner and stand whatever 
may be the consequence. 

When a runner tries to score from third on a hit or out to the 
outfield the catcher must watch out for wide or low throws. 
If there is another man on the base besides the one trying to 
score you must use headwork in trying to get him, provided you 
fail to catch the man at the plate. On a single to the outfield, 
where a man tries to score from second and the throw is too 
slow to catch him, run in on the ball and whip it to second. If 
a throw is partly fumbled the runner will frequently try for 
an extra base, and if you keep your head you can sometimes 
catch him. 



w 




ROGER BRESNAHAN, 

cf the Chicago "Cubs". Note his shin guards, which he was 
the l^rst to introduce into base ball. 



SrALDIXG-S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 37 



BEHIND THE BAT 

Bv Roger Bresnahax, 

Formerly of the New York Giants and Manager of the St. 
Louis Nationals, and Now With Chicago "Cubs." 

Many young players, who would make good catchers, have 
been deterred from trying for the position for fear that they 
might be injured. Broken fingers and split hands are not so 
much a drawback, for reason of any pain that may result, as 
they are for a possible physical deformity. Occasionally a young 
player is heard to say that lie doesn't care to become a catcher 
because an enlarged finger joint may interfere with his penman- 
ship in later life, or spoil his chances of enjoying himself with 
some musical instrument of which he is fond. 

So far as this is concerned, the modern appliances for pro- 
tecting the catcher have so well eliminated the possibility of 
injury that the man who plays in the position is in no more 
danger than the first baseman, or, for that matter, other infielders. 

Almost all catchers have learned to receive the ball in such a 
manner that the gloved hand bears all the hard work. No mat- 
ter how great the speed of the pitcher, the glove is such a well 
padded cushion that the shock of collision, when the ball meets 
the glove, is felt but little on the surface of the palm, and it is 
quite out of the question to sting the fingers as was the rule in 
days of old. The catcher speedily learns to "give" with the ball, 
and to use the ungloved hand, not as a buffer, but as a hinge to 
clasp over the ball at the moment of contact with the gloved 
hand to hold it firmly. 

Occasionally the ball happens to be so deflected by coming into 
contact with the bat that it shoots to one side, and as the eye 
is not quite quick enough to gauge its flight the ungloved hand 
may get the full impact before the catcher has time to shift 



38 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

himself to meet the changed direction. Once this was common, 
but now it is the exception rather than the rule, and while the 
catchers of old days show hands which are badly twisted, with 
many joints gnarled and swollen, the catchers of the present 
time are much better off in that respect, and probably will con- 
tinue to improve in expertness as new generations begin to take 
part in the game. 

There are many young players who would become catchers if 
they were sure of not becoming crippled, but the protection is 
so greatly improved over what it was in the past, that in the 
near future players will undoubtedly go from the beginning to 
the end of the year without being laid up once because of 
injuries, unless through some refractory foul. Often it has been 
hard in the past to organize amateur teams because of the diffi- 
culty in getting a catcher. If amateurs will take advantage of 
all that has been done for their benefit in recent years, they will 
be as willing to play behind the bat as to occupy any other posi- 
tion if they are inclined to become the receivers of the pitched 
balls. 

Inasmuch as the glove has done so much for the catcher it is 
not out of place to say that it has changed in many details the 
work of the backstop. The old idea of catching was to fight the 
ball, to reach out for it, and grab it, almost before the batter 
had time to strike at it. Now that the catcher and pitcher work 
in such perfect harmony, owing to the prevalence of good signal 
systems, the catcher can place his gloved hand almost at the 
identical spot where the ball will come, and with his ungloved 
hand he is ready in a moment to grip the ball with firmness and 
throw it to bases if necessary, to head off some daring runner. 

It is not necessary to place both hands in a certain position 
to receive the ball. Use the catcher's glove, as it is made now, 
and the beginner will quickly learn that one hand does almost 
all. the work that two did in the old days, while the second, or 
free hand, is ready for any play which may arise at the moment. 
Thus it is that all catchers are by necessity and convenience 
more one-hand catchers than they ever were in the history of 
base ball. 




1 I u.h, 1 , J 1 ai 



(,<iaiii y. 



A GROUr OF CLEVELAND AMERICANS. 

Vau Oeyen, Pbotog 




;. W. :\Iit(li(.ll: 4, Blandiug; 5. Fal- 

A GliOUI' OF CLEVELAND AMERICANS. 

Van Ooyoii. Photos. 



SrALDINGS ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 39 

It will be found that in catching foul tiies~one of the most 
deceptive plays that come to the man behind the bat— the glove 
is an important adjunct for assistance. It is necessary first, of 
course, to judge a foul fly successfully. After the catcher is 
once under it, if he will let the ball drop in his glove, and trap 
it with his ungloved hand, he wnll find it much easier to hold 
than if he makes an effort to make a fair two-handed catch. 
This is particularly true when the ball happens to be twisting. 
In years gone by, when the catchers used light gloves, or none 
at all, the "twisters" that arose behind the bat were a constant 
irritation. Perhaps one-third of the time the ball would wriggle 
out of the catcher's hands, no matter how bravely he tried to 
hold it, and the result would be another life for the batsman. 

Using the glove properly, as it is manufactured nowadays, the 
catcher has but to let it get fairly under the ball, which will 
lodge securely enough to be easily held by the free hand. The 
concave surface of the glove seems to act as a deadener to the 
twist of the high foul fly, and unless the ball is spinning around 
at an unusually rapid rate, it is not apt to get away. 

The glove does not interfere in the least in throwing to bases. 
On the contrary, its surface is so ample that it gives the catcher 
a chance to get a good firm grip on the ball, as it is received by 
him, and he is in position to throw the very moment in which, 
he draws back his arm and hand. 



40 SrALDl.NUS ATHLETU' LIBRARY. 



STUDYING THE PITCHER 

A heady catcher will study the pitcher he has to handle. No 
twQ pitchers are the same and an effective ball for one may not 
be at all effective for another. 

Every pitcher has some particular delivery in which he is 
especially strong. Play your signals accordingly. Even if a 
certain delivery is best for a given batsman it may not be one 
that your pitcher can use effectively. \\'hen in a tight place, if 
at all consistent with good play, call for something at which 
your pitcher is particularly good and in which he has confidence. 
Confidence is no small point and with it a pitcher is more likely 
to get away with the play than if he is uncertain. 

You must know the temperament of your pitcher to get the 
best work out of him. Some pitchers are naturally sluggish 
and unless you get them working they are likely to make a bad 
start. Hustle such pitchers along until they get into their stride. 
More pitchers are inclined to be nervous, however, at the start 
of a game. Handle the ball slowly and do what you can to keep 
your pitcher going evenly in this case. After the first inning 
or two the nervousness will wear off as a rule, but if the game 
takes a turn for the bad it is likely to return. 

When a pitcher is getting hit you cannot handle one the same 
as another. The moment some pitchers become aware that you 
are trying to delay the game in order to give them a chance to 
steady down the worse they get. Then you must try tricks. 
Get a shoe unlaced or hurt your finger so as to gain a delay 
and take the pitcher's mind off the game. Frequently this will 
be enough to give the pitcher a chance to settle down and finish 
out in good shape. Most pitchers will be glad to take advantage 
of any delay you cause in order to give them ? chance to regain 
their bearings. 



SPALDING S ATHLETIC LIBHAUY. 41 

Sometimes a pitcher will insist upon putting over a certain 
kmd of ball continually. This is bad, but so long as the batter 
is missing the ball by a good margin the danger is not so great. 
Try to get him to vary his pitching, and if the batter is coming 
close to the ball make him change no matter what he thinks. 
Curve balls are much harder to pitch than any other kind and 
the wear on a pitcher consequently greater. Therefore do not call 
for too many curves but mix these with other styles of delivery. 
If a pitcher has an underhand delivery you can rest him up 
some when he gets tired from throwing overhand by giving 
signals for balls which are more easily pitched in the lirst- 
named way. 



42 S1'ALD1NG« ATHLETIC LIBKAKY. 



THE CATCHER AS A THROWER 

When the runner gets on tirst base he is told to watch the 
pitcher, that he may know when to take a start to steal second. 
Every runner is cautioned to study the pitcher, in order that he 
may be famihar with every motion which he makes, so as not 
to be caught napping by some unexpected turn on the part of 
the man who has the center of the diamond to himself. 

But while the runner is watching the pitcher, it is the duty 
of the catcher to watch the runner, and if the caicher has hi, 
heart in the game, it will not take him long to discover when 
the runner is really about to leave first or second, as the case 
may be, for the next base. 

It is certain that a catcher must not only have the ability to 
throw, but he must be gifted with the power of throwing well 
and must also have the knack of throwing when he is not in a 
perfect position. 

For instance, suppose the catcher has signed for ah outcurve, 
and as occasionally happens in the heat of a game, the pitcher 
mistakes the signal, or by some slip of the foot when he delivers 
the ball, sends it to the batter in such a manner that the catcher 
must make a long reach and a quick jump to get it. At the 
same time the base runner takes it into his head to try for the 
next base. The catcher, in such an emergency, cannot wait to 
straighten to his full height, or to brace himself on both feet, 
but must send the ball from some awkward angle in such a 
manner that the baseman can get it. To do this requires the 
art of getting the ball away with speed, either by snapping it or 
throwing overhand — and it doesn't matter which method is em- 
ployed so long as the ball is sent to head off the runner. 

Every catcher can do this if he will only accustom himself to 
throw with a free arm. Too many catchers learn to throw in a 
cramped position, being filled with the false notion that they 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIPiRARV. 43 

cannot get speed on the ball unless they resort only to that 
method. 

Pjeginners should learn to throw overhand; underhand, with a 
snap from the elbow, using the forearm to jerk the ball; with 
a side arm motion, something like that which is employed by 
the bowlers in cricket, in fact any way so that they get the ball 
into the held where it will do some good. 

Another thing about throwing as it relates to the catcher is 
fearlessness. Some catchers are afraid to throw. They are 
more regardful of their fielding averages than they are of stop- 
ping base runners. It doesn't take the runners long to ascertain 
what men save themselves in that respect. A catcher who will 
only throw when he receives the ball just where it suits him. 
will quickly be spotted by veteran players, and amateurs are not 
long in finding out on what catchers they can take a lead. The 
catcher who will get the ball away on the instant, whether it 
happens to be perfect enough to retire the runner or not, is the 
one who is most dreaded by base runners, for they never know 
when the ball may be directed so perfectly that it will go squarely 
to its mark. 

A catcher should always try to throw, so far as it lies within 
his power, in such a manner that the man who is to receive the 
ball will get it on that side of him which is toward the base 
runner who is approaching the base. It does not take long for 
catchers to ascertain whether they are likely to put a natural 
curve on the ball, and when they find that they do so involun- 
tarily, they should do their best to adjust their speed in such a 
manner that the curve shall reach the required spot near the 
base, exactly as the pitcher tries to put his curve at a proper 
distance from the batter. 

Catchers should never hesitate to use speed when they can do 
so in their long throws. In the first place, the ball is apt to 
carry with more precision. In the second place, there are few 
basemen who would not prefer to catch a hard throw in prefer- 
ence to one which seems to hold in the air. Swift throws lodge 
firmly in the glove and the baseman is not embarrassed in trying 
to hold them. In the third place, the speed of a thrown ball can 



44 SrALI>!\0'S ATHLETIC tlBUARy. 

beat the speed of the best sprinter, and the catcher should never 
forget that his part of the game is to try to retire the runners, 
and do it as quickly as possible, without giving them the slight- 
est opportunity to make the base. Often a fast throw, that hap- 
pens to be a little low, will bound into the baseman's hands in 
time to permit him to touch the runner. If the throw had been 
slow the runner might easily have beaten the ball out. 

If the pitcher is inclined to be loggy. return the ball to him 
with speed. It will wake him up and cause him to put more 
energy into his game. Some pitchers like to have the ball sent 
back to them "on the jump." They say that it keeps them active 
all the time and brings out the best that there is in them. If 
the catcher is lazy, and tosses the ball back to the pitcher some- 
what indifferently, before long you will notice that the whole 
team which is in the field will become careless and slow. Observe 
a professional team with a slow catcher and see how great the 
difference when he is in the box and when there is a lively man 
behind the bat to keep everybody in motion. 

Don't throw the ball when there is no chance to put the run- 
ner out. One great fault of young players is their eagerness to 
get rid of the ball. They want to put it somewhere because they 
want to get it out of their hands. The first lesson which a 
young player receives when he begins to play with a professional 
team is never to throw the ball without a purpose. Learn. to 
time what the ball can do against a runner. It can beat him, as 
a rule, but can't beat him when the base is almost within his 
reach, and to try to catch him in such a case may mean that the 
baseman is not prepared for the throw and a wild throw may 
result which may cost the game. 

No catcher need be troubled with a sore arm, if he will take 
care that the muscles, from the forearm up, never become 
strained. If they do feel sore, use a little massage. When begin- 
ning to throw the next day try the first attempts easily and 
increase the force as practice wears on. If players will learn 
to throw and use all the muscles there will be very few who 
will not be able to continue in base ball until advancing age 
stiffens them from natural causes. 



The Spalding' 
"Official National Leag'ue" Ball 

PATENT CORK CENTER 




Adopted by The National 
League in 1878 and is the 
only ball used in Champion- 
ship games smce that time 
and, as made now with 
Patent Cork Center, has been 
adopted for twenty years 
more, making a total adop- 
tion of fifty-four years. 




This ball has the SPALDING 
"PATENT" CORK CEN- 
TER, the same as used 
since August 1,1910, without 
change in size of cork or 
construction. Same ball ex- 
actly as used in World Series 
Games of 1910. 1911. 1912 
and 1913. 



No.l 



Each, - - $1.25 
Per Dozen, $15.00 



Each ball wrapped in tinfoil, packed in a separate box, and sealed 
in accordance with the latest. League regulations. Warranted to last 
a full game when used under ordinary conditions. 

THE SPALDING "OFFICIAL NATIONAL LEAGUE" BALL 

HAS BEEN THE OFFICIAL BALL OF THE 

GAME SINCE 1878 

Spaldtofl CompleleCatalope ot Athletic Coods Mailed Free. 



PROMPT AHENTION GIVEN I 

TITANY communications! 

ADDRESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING <Sl BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



COMPLETE LIST OF STORES 

ONINSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOOt 



Pri«l In tftcl January 5, 1914. Suijtcl lo change uiilhoiil notice. Far Canadia 



I ttc special Canadian Calalogut, 



[Bfllliiliili^ilJIillpM 




Spalding 
Official National League" Jr. Ball 

'Reg.U.S Pat. Off, 

PATENT CORK CENTER 

Patented Augu.t 31. 1909 __ 

Made with horse hide cover and in 
every respect, including patent cork 
center, same as our "Official National 
League" (?« 'bl) Ball No. I, except 
slightly smaller in size. Especially de- 
signed for junior clubs (composed of 
boys under 16 years of age) and all 
games in which this ball is used will be 
recognized as legal games. Warranted 
to last a full game when used under 

ordinary conditions. 
No. BI. "Official National League" Jr. 



Rouble Soarn 








Spalding' 

Double Seam 

League Ball 

Pure Para Rubber Cen.er 

Sewed with double seam, rendenng it 
doubly secure against ripping. The 
most durable ball made. Horse hide 
cover, pure Para rubber Center, wound 
with best ail-wool yarn. Warranted to 
last a full game when used under 
ordinary conditions, but usually good 

for two or more games. 
No. 0. Each. $1.25 Dozen. $15.00 



Spalding Complele Calalogne ol Athletic Goods Mailed Free. 



I 



PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN I 

TO ANY communications! 

AOOHESSEOTOUS 



A.G.SPALDING <St BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



COMPtETEUST OF STORES 

ON INSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOO! 



1»*« 61 *S*a faimiv S. 191^ Smlm '» <M»« »l>*»" "<*«■ F" Canadian ffioi m iniial CcM^ita Ulilotm. 



ACCEPT NO 
SUBSTITUTE 




SiilMliiaiMI 




Spalding Leagrne 
Rubber Center Ball 

No. IRC. Horse hide cover, 
pure Para rubber center, 
wound with best wool yarn ; 
double stitched red and green. 
£ach.$1.00 Doz.912.00 



Spalding 
City League 

No. L4. Horsehidecover, 
and rubber center wound 
with yarn. Full size and 
weight. Very well made. 
Each,75c. Doz.,$9.00 



Above balU warranted to latt a full game when used under oi 

Spalding Professional 

No. 2. Horsehidecover, full size. Care- 
fully selected material ; first-class quality. 
In separate box and sealed. Each, 50c. 

Spalding Public School League 

No. B3. Junior size, horse hide cover, rub- 
ber center wound with yarn For prac- 
tice by boys' teams. . Each, 50c. 

Spalding Lively Bounder 

No. 10. Horse hide cover Inside is 
all rubber, liveliest ball ever offered. In. 
separate box and sealed. Each, 25c. 

Spalding Junior Professional 

No. 7B. Slightly under regular size. 

Horse hide cover, very lively. Perfect 

boys' size ball. In separate box and 

. . . y . . . Each, 25c 



Spalding National 
Association Jr. 

No.B2. Horsehidecover, 
pure Para rubber center 
wound with yarn. Slightly 
under regulation size. 

Each, 75c. 

rHamry conditiona. 




Spalding King of the Diamond 

No. 5. Full-size, good material, horse i.^-j ,^ 

hide cover In separate box. Each, 25c.,[ CffOys J^avof^ff 

Spalding Boys' Favorite Ball 

No. 12. Lively, two-piece cover. Dozen, 
balls in box Each, lOCi 

Spalding Boys* Amateur Ball 

No. 11. Nearly regulation size and 
weight. Best for the money on market. 
Dozen balls in box. . . Each, lOc. 

Spalding Rocket BaU 

No 13. Good bounding ball, boys' size. 
Best 5-cent two-piece cover ball on the 
market. Dozen balls in box. Each, 5c» 




PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN 

TffANY COMMUNICATIONS 

tPPBESSED TO OS 



A.G.SPALDING <Sl BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



ICOMPIETEUST OF STORES 

ON INSIDE FRONT COVEB 

OF THIS BDOI 



,iff» in fftcijermiry 5, 1911:' SuiJtft (8 cA«n«e tf/iAouJ notict. F« Qtmim «ri«» }8t »*«(«/ Qtmiisn Catuhgim 



Spalding "Players* Autograph" Bats 

No. 100. "Players' Autograph" Bats, bearing the signature of the player in 
each case, represent their playing bats in every detail. Made from the finest air 
dried second growth straight grained white ash, cut from upland timber, pos- 
sessing greater resiliency, density, strength and driving qualities than that of 
any other wood. The special oil finish on these bats hardens with age and 



increases the resiliency and driving power of the bat. 

Carried in (tock in all Spalding atoret in the following ModeU. Mention 
AUTOGRAPH MODEL 



Each, $1.00 

of placer when ordering. 




Wei«ht« hymSHo 



i^t 



ce». L«rngth3Sin. 



poratiTelr lisht weight 
to give splendid drir 
from 36 to 40 ounce*. 

Very afnall handle, and 



AUTOGRAPH 
MODEI. 
Well balanced, com- 
. wilh •uKicient wood 
ini power. WcighU 
Len(tlh 34S in. 

AUTOGRAPH 

MODEL 

>alanced lo that 



/7 . , ^ AUTOGRAPH 

-^— ^"^^^-V^ Spl.ri'J^^.e^ 

comparathrelr nnall handle, well balanced. 

W«i«hU from 40 to 44 ox. Length 35 in. 

^ — AUTOGRAPH 

i^Z^^ '^i^— Extra KSe^a^ 
bat with thick handle. Weilhta from 44 to 

48 ouncea. Length 35 inchet. 

^ , - . AUTOGRAPH MODEL 

<-^/^%^«,4CDiHerent m o d e I from 
^^*^*'^>***'^"thal formerlT u.ed by 
Clarke, improved in balance, model and 
length. WeighU from 39 to 43 ouncea. 



AUTOGRAPH 

MODEL 

Short bat, largo 

I. WeighU from 




fM^*''^<, Short bat, imall 
00 handle, but body 

quite thick. WeighU from 38 to 42 ounces. 
AirrOGRAPH Ungth 32 inche.. 

~^ On."o?S,M«^.t Wecanalsosupplyon ^ 
rproduc".d° M^ium spccialordersDonHn, 




oaod by any irrofe 
I player. Specially adapted to una 
>tmen. Waighu from 3S to 3S ounce 
h 31 inchea. 



Evers Models. 
SPECIAL MADE TO ORDER PLAYERS' MODEL BATS 

We can supply on special orders Model Bats same as we have made for the most 
famous batsmen on National and American League Teams. 

BAKER. PhiUdelphia. American League .... Model B MEYERS. New Yotk. National League .... Model M 

CAliAHAN, Chicago. American League • . . . Model C OLDRINcl Philadelphia. American Leagu< . . Model O 

DAUBERT. Brooklyn. National Uague .... Model D PASKERf. Philadelphia. National League . . . Model P 

FLETCHER. New Yoik. National L.eague . . . Model F SPEAKER. BoMon, American League .... Mode! S 

HERZOd. New York, National League .... Model H THOMAS. Philadelphia, American Uague . . . Model T 

LUDERUS, Philadelphia. National Uague . . . Model L WHEAT. BrookS^. National Uague .... ModelW 

The original models from which we have turned bats for the above players we hold 

at our Bat Factory, making duplicates on special order only. These special order 

bats do not bear the Players' Autographs. We require at least two weeks' time 

for the execution of special bat orders. 

Spalding Special Model Bat«. Profeuional Oil Finish. Not Carried in Stock. Each, $1.00 
Spalding bat* improve with age if properly cared for. Bati made gpecially to order .should not be 
used for at least thirty (30) days after they are fitiished, to give ample time for the oiled finish 
to thoroughly harden. Players should make it a rule to have two or more bats in reserve at all times. 



ATTENTION GIVEN I 
TV ANY communications! 
ADDRESSEOTODS 



A,G,SPALDING&,BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



ICOMPIETEUSTOFSTOSS 
ON INSIDE nONTCOVEl 



Vtkc* in tfftcl January 5f I9l^.,'a Svtjecl lo thsnge wilhoul notice. For Canadian prictt ttt i 



o/ Cangdign Calal»gue> 



ACCEPT NO 
SUBSTITUTE 



— f» 



TRADE-MARK '"SKf 



SpaJding Genuine Natural Oil Tempered Bats 

No. lOOT. <Made of the highest quality, thoroughly seasoned second growth ash, 
specially selected for resiliency and driving power; natural yellow oil tempered, 
hand finished to a perfect dead smooth surface. We added this line for 1914 to 
give our customers what might really be termed the ""^^JEJ?^*? ^?^*^*" assortment, 
comprising models that have actually won the American League and National 
League Championships during the past few years Each, $1.00 

Furnished in any of the following twelve models — Mention model number when ordering 

LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT 

ModelTl. 33'.Mn. 36to41oz. Model T5. 32;an. 44to48oz. Model T9. 33 i^in. 45 toSOoz. 
ModelT2. 34 in. 39to43or. Model T6. 34'.in. 41to45oz. ModelTlO. 36 in. 43lo47oz. 
ModelT3. 35 in. 40lo44oz. Model T7. 34 in. 43to47oz. ModelTlI. 34 in. 37to41oz. 
ModelT4. 34,>..in. 38to42oz. Model T8. 33 in. 45to50oz. ModelT12. 35 in. 40to45oz. 

Spalding New Special College Bats 

No. lOOM. An entirely new line, special new finish; special stain and mottled 
burning; carefully filled, finished with best French polish. Wood is finest second 
growth Northern ash, siiecially seasoned. Models are same as we have supplied 
to some of the most successful college players. ....... Each, $1.00 

Furnished in any of the following twelve models — Mention model number when ordering 

LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT 

Model Ml. 31 in. 35 to 39 oz' Model M5. 34 in. 40 to 44 oz. Model M9. 35 in. 40to45oz. 
Mo<relM2. 34'.iin. 40to45oz. Model M6. 33 in. 38 to 43 oz. ModelMlO. 33 in. 37to43oz. 
ModelM3. 31,', in. 38to42oi. Model M7. 33 in. 37 to 43 oz. ModelMU. 35in. 42to46oz. 
Model M4. 32 '.in. 40 to 45 oz. Model MS. 34 in. 39 to 44 oz. Model Ml 2. 33 in. 40 to 44 oz. 

Spalding Very Dark Brown Special Taped Bats 

No. lOOB. Very dark brown stained, almost black, except twelve inches of the 
handle left perfectly natural, with no finish except filled and hand-rubbed smooth, 
and then beginning four inches from end of handle, five inches of electric tape, 
wound on bat to produce perfect non-slip grip Each, $1.00 

Furnished in any of the following six models— Mention model number when ordering 

LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT LENGTH WEIGHT 

ModelBl. 31in. 35 to 40 oz. Model B3. 32', in. 40to44oz. Model B5. 34 in. 37to41oz 
Model B2.* 32 in. 38 to 43 oz. Model B4. 33 in. 39 to 46 oz. Model B6. 34'; in. 37to41oz. 

•Bottle shape. 

Spalding bats improve with age if properly cared for. Bats made specially to 

order should not be used for at least thirty (30) days after they are finished, to 

give ample time for the oiled finish to thoroughly harden. Players should make 

it a rule to have two or more bats in reserve at all times. 

Spalding Trade-Mark Bats 

No. 75. Record. Most popular models, light antique finish. One dozen in a crate 

(assorted lengths from 30 to 35 inches and weights, 36 to 42 ounces). Each, 75c. 

No. 50M. Mushroom. f^lTA Plain, special fin- ' " 

ish. Invaluable as an all around bat. Each, 50c. 

N.o. F. "Fungo." Hardwood. 38 inches long, thin 

model. Professional oil finish. . Each, $1.00 

No. SOW. "Fungo." Willow, light weight, full 

size bat, plain handle Each, 50c. 

No. 50T. Taped " League "^ ash, extra quality, 

special finish "... Each, 50c. 

No. 50. "League," ash, plain handle. " 50c. 
No. 25. "City League," plain handle. " 25c. 



f 



No. 50B. "Spalding Junior," 
special finish. Specially sel- 
ected models ; lengths and 
weights proper for younger 

players Each, 50c. 

No. 25B. "Junior League," 
plain, extra quality ash, spotted 
burning. . . . Each, 25c. 
No. lOB. "Boys' League" Bat, 
good ash, varnished. Ea., 10c. 



HOLD BAT PROPERLY AND STRIKE THE BALL WITH THE GRAIN. DON'T BLAME THE 
MAKER FOR A BREAK WHICH OCCURS THROUGH IMPROPER USE OR ABUSE. 



Spalding Complete Catalogue of Athletic Goods Mailed Free. 



PIOMPT ATTENTION GIVEN 

TITANY COMMUNICATION 

ADDBESSEDTOUS 



A.G.SPALDING <St BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



COMPLETE UST OF STORES 

ON INSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOOIl 



fflcf in tfftcl January 5, 1914. , Sukialjo ftfangt teUfiout notice._,for Canadian ptica ate ipecial Canadian Colahgufi 



.*S^^?rT,^°JHE SPALDING' 



SPALDING CATCHERS' MITTS 





No. 5-0 

All Stylet Made In RIghtt and Left*. Wh< 



No. 11-0. "The Giant." Heavy brown leather 
J. :;:!r;:-1,>c face, specially shaped and treated. 
Leather laced back. Special "stick-on-the- 
hand ' ' strap-and-buckle fastening. Ea. ,$ 1 0.00 
No. 10-0. "^ORLD SERIES." Patented Molded 
jJ.^'iyls.^ Face: modeled after ideas of greatest 
catchers. Brown calfskin throughout. King 
Patent Padding(j„';,V ,;;:,',., ). Leather lace; leather 
strap and brass buckle fastening. Ea., $8.00 
No. 1 0-OP. ••WORLD SERIES." game as No. 10-0. 
v.,'r .'.li except special perforated palm. King 
Patent Padding 0„r:'"'v'.,.). . . Each, $8.00 
No. 9-0. "Three-and-Out." Patented Molded 
j..u:;r:i:i».:Face; large model. Has deep "pocket," 
no seams oi- rough places on face. Hair felt pad- 
ding; leather lace; leather strap; brass buckle 
fastening. Larger than No. 10-0. Each. $8.00 
No.^9.0P. "Three-and-Out." Patented "Per- 
!':!"l^i."r^'V:.!?^ forated" Palm. Otherwise same 

as No. 9-0 Mitt Each. $8.00 

No. 8-0. "Olympic." Palm of special leather 
jJ^:',7yA*^ that we put out last- season in our 
"Broken-In" Basemen's Mitts and Infielders' 
Gloves. Leather prepared so it "holds the 
shape." Leatherlace. Hand stitched, formed 
padding. ...,,.., Each, $7.00 
N0;7.0. "Perfection." Brown calfskin. Patent 
j.-,»»;";"l9« combination shaped face and Fox 
Patent Padding Pocket (F,.!::i',;%^,:) so additional 
padding may be inserted. Extra padding 
with each mitt. Leatherlace. Each. $6.00 
No. 6-0. "Collegiate." Patented Molded Face. 
j../.^r.„^. Special olive colored leather, perfectly 
tanned to produce necessarv "pocket" with 
smooth surface on face. King Patent Felt 
PaddmgOlVS'.'-.o). Padding may be adjusted 
eadily. Leatherlace. ... Each, $5.00 
}^P,- OG'oc "Conqueror." Special brown calf, 
, '«.",:"*5 (fl bound with black leather. Semi- 
\ molded face used is a near approach to our 
1 genume patented molded face. Hand Stitched 
;lelt padding; patent laced back and thumb; 
leather laced; strap-and-buckle fastening. 
Heel of hand piece felt lined. Leather bound 

edges • . . Each, $5.00 

No. 5-0. "League Extra." Molded Face. 
■-'" ■■' "^^ Special tanned buff colored leather. 
"tt and pliable, hand formed felt padding. 
Leather bound edges. , . . Earh, $4.00 
No. OK. "OK Model." Semi-molded, brown 
horse hide face, black leather side piece, brown 
calf back and finger piece; padded, special hand 
formed ami stitched; bound edges. Each, $4.00 

Ordering for Left Handed Playert Specify " Full Right." ' 



PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN I 

TO ANY communications! 

ADDRESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING &, BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



jCOMPlfTEUST OF STORES 

ON inside FRONT COVER 

OFTKIS«00t 



Jhicet in effttt /anuory 5, I9tt4, ^uhject to change leilhoul , 



pricci Mk tpfdal Canadian Catalogue 



GUARANTEES 



pi*li!li'IJi!lill!lC&i!iiiili'i^^!l!*^^ 



SPALDING CATCHERS' MITTS 



No. 2-0. "Leader." Brown oakleatherface,bacft 
and finger piece, black leather side piece, red lea- 
ther trimming'. Padded. Leather lace. Ea..$3.50 
No.4-0. "League SpeciaL" Molded Face. Brown 
w'z.'-M leather; felt padding; reinforced, laced 
at thumb; patent laced back. . Each, $3.00 
No. 3-0. "Decker Patent." Brown oak leather; 
laced back; strap-and-buckle fastening. $3.50 
No. OR. "Decker Patent." Black grain leather; 
reinforced, laced at thumb; laced back. $2.50 
No. OH. "Handy." Drab horse "hide face, side 
and finger piece, brown leather back ; black lea- 
therbinding. Laced back; lacedatthumb.$3.00 
No. O. "Interstate." Brown grain leather face, 
sides and finger piece, pearl grain leather back ; 
laced at thumb; patent laced back. Ea.,$3.00 
No. OA. "Inter-City." Large size. Cowhide 
face and finger piece, green leather back, black 
leather side piece. Red leather binding, leather 

lace. Laced back ' Each, $2.50 

No. IS. "Athletic." Smokedhorsehidefaceand 
finger piece, brown leather side piece and back ; 
laced back. Special padding. . Each, $2.00 
No. IR. "Semi-Pro." Black leather; rein- 
forced, laced at thumb; laced back. Each, $2.00 
No. IX. "Trade League." Face and finger 
piece buff colored, black back and side. piece; 
leather lace; laced-back. . . . Each, $2.00 
No. IC. "Back-Stop/* Gray leather face and 
finger piece; brown leather side and back; 
laced at thumb; laced back. . Each, $1.50 
No. ID. "Champion." Black leather face, 
back, and finger piece, brown leather side. 
Padded; laced back. . ... Each,$1.50 
No. lA. "Catcher." Oak tanned face, back 
and finger piece, black leather side piece. Laced 
back; laced at thumb. . . . Each, $1.25 
No. 2C. "Foul Tip." Oak leather. . Padded; 
laced at thumb; back full laced. Each, $1.00 
No. 2R. "Association." Black smooth tanned 
leather face, back and finger piece; tan leather 
sides; padded; laced back. . . Each, $1.00 
No. 3. "Amateur." Oak tanned face, back and 
finger piece. Laced thumb, laced back. Ea.,75c. 
No. 3R. "Interscholastic." Black leather face, 
back and finger piece, sides of brown leather; 
padded; laced at thumb. . . . Each, 75c. 
No. 4. "Public School." Large size. Face, 
finger pieceand back brown oak tanned leather; 
padded; reinforced, lacedatthumb. Ea., 50c. 
No. 5. ".Boys' Delight." Face and finger piece 
of special brown oak tanned leather; canvas 
back; laced thumb; well padded. Each, 25c. 
No. 6. "Boys' Choice." Brown oak tanned 
leather face; padded; laced thumb. Each, 25c. 

\AU StylM M.de in RiihU and Ufls. When Ordering for L«f« 
' H.nded PLrcrt Saccify Full Right." 




No. 20 



PIOMPT ATTENTION 6IVE 

TOANY COMMUNICATlOf 

ADDRtSSEDTOBS 



3 A.G.SPALDING <Sl BROS. 

i STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



ICOMPIETE LIST OF STORES 

OMINSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS 8001 



>jiCH in tftdlmtm 5, I9IJ. Suijtd to cAanRe viihoul nohce. For Canadian pricu >u moal Cnnadian Catalogue 



sStute THE SPALDING' 





No. CO 






WW 



>' 



No. DX 



4^) 



No. 2MF 



^ 



Spalding ^?]?^.'? !.??.'«» Basemen's Mitts 

No. ABX. "Stick^n-the-Hand." Calfskin. Leather 

lace; strap at back Each, $5.00 

No. AAX. "First Choice." Broken-In Model. Special 
leather. King Patent Felt Padding. Each. $5.00 
No. AXX. "Good Fit." Selected brown calfskin, 
bound with black leather. Leather lacing. Ea.,$4.00 
No. BXS. "League Special." Selected brown calf- 
skin, bound with brown leather. Leather lacing. 
Leather strap support at thumb. , Each, $4.00 
No. AXP. •"^Ok*»»i'»s *??*.?=«•" White buck. Leather 
lacing. King Patent Felt Padding.- Each, $4.00 
No. BXP."'«'o«>C>».'?.™«»."Calf skin; leather lacing. 
Strap thumb. King Patent Felt Padding. Ea.,$4.00 
No. CO. " ProfessionaL" Olive calfskin, specially 
treated. Padded; leather laced, except heel. $3.00 
No. ex. " Semi-Pro." Face of smoke color leather, 
backof brown, laced, except heel; padded. £a.,$2.50 
No. CD. "RedOak." Brown leather, redleather bind- 
ing. Laced, except thumb and heel Each, $2,50 
No. CXR. "Amateur." Black calfskin face, black 
leather back and lining. Padded; Jaced. Ea.,$2.00 
No. CXS. "Amateur." Special brown grained 
leather. Padded; laced, except at heel. Each, $2.00 
No. DX. "Double Play." . Oak tanned, laced, except 

at heel. Nicely padded Each, $1J50 

No. EX. "League Jr." Black smooth leather, laced all 
around, except at heel. Suitably padded. Ea.,$1.00 

All Mitti described above, patented Aug. 10, 1910. 
Kinf Patent Padding, patented June 28,^910. 

"League Extra" Pitchers* and Basemen's Mitt 

No. IF. Face of special tanned leather, balance of 
brown calfskin. Without hump. Laced all around. 
Strap-and-buckle fastening. . . . Each, $3.50 

Spalding Fielders* Mitts 

No. 2MF. "Le&gue Special." BroWn calfslcin face 
and back; extra full thumb, leather web; leather 

lined Each, $3.00 

No. 5MF. " ProfessionaL" Tanned olive leather, 
padded with felt; leather finger separations; leather 
lined; full thumb, leather web. . . Each, $2.00 
No. 6MF. "Semi-Pro" White tanned buckskin; 
leather finger separations; leather lined; large 
thumb, well padded, leather web. . Each, $1.50 
No. 7MF. "Amateur." Pearl colored leather; 
leather finger separations; padded; leather lined; 
thumb with leather weh. .... Each, $1.00 
No. 8F. "Amateur." Black tanned smooth lea- 
ther; padded; leather lined; reinforced and laced at 
thumb. Strap-and-buckle fastening. Each, $1.00 
No. 9F. "League Jr." Boys'. Oak tanned leather, 
padded, reinforced and laced at thumb. Each, 50c. 

All Stylet Made in Righta and Lefts. When Ordering fv.r Left 
Handed Players Specify "Full Right." i 



PROMPT AnENTION GIVEN I 

TO ANY COMMUNICATIONSI 

ADDRESSED TO US 



'Jlcld£!Jldl5Perj:l:l*lcJ 



STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



COMPlfTE LIST OF STORES 

ON INSIDE FRONT COVER 

Of THIS BOOH 



Fritf} V> '■^'■^Ijc-xucy 5. I^t'^j ' Svtjert to (Aonjc mthvl a»<|c<- Fv CQnaJiao Uiia t£S jejCSL^^"^ Cifi'^<tfi 



|llii«i!li^JJIilLMt 




SPALDING INFIELDERS' GLOVES 

No. VXL. "Just Right." Brown calfskin, specially 
M^cTKi'sos treated to help players break glove into 
shape. Full leather lined. Welted seams. King 
Patent Felt Padding(j.^;'i".1^,o). . . . Each, $5.00 
No. SXL. "All-Players'." "Broken-In" style; special- 
».',"\"'!m ly prepared leather. Needs no breaking in', 
simply slip it on and start playing. Finest quality ma- 
terial throughout. Full leather lined. Welted seams. 
King Patent Felt PaddingOoS'S?!^. . Each, $5.00 
No. AAl. "'^«L«'i:,»s.?.f=?.'=*" 'Professional model. 
MJiVnos Finest buckskin, specially treated to help 
player break glove into, shape. Very little padding. 
Welted seams. Leather lined. One of the most popular 
models. Regular padding.' .... Each, $4.00 
No. BBl. *"'*'S:f5'?P*FR»=*" Professional mo del r 
mJ."i!To.',',o8 Finest buckskin. Worn by successful National 
and American League infielders. Good width ahd 
length. Leather lined throughout. Welted seams. 
King Patent Felt Padding UL-'S'Tl.o). . Each, $4.00 
No. SS. "Leaguer." Designed by one of the greatest 
infielders that ever played. It is an all-around style 
an'd suitable for any infield player. Best buckskin. 
Welted seams. Leather lined. . . , Each, $4.00 
No. PXL. "Professional." Finest buckskin. Heavily 
P3,dded around edges and little finger. Extra long to, 
protect wrist. Leather lined. Wetted seams. Ea.,$3.50 
No. RXL. "League Extra." Black calfskin. Highest 
quality throughout. Design similar to No. PXL. Full 
leather lined. Welted seams. . . . Each, $3.50 
No. PX. "Professional." Buckskin. Same as in PXL. 
Padded according to ideas of prominent players who 
prefer felt to leather lining. Welted seams. Ea.,$3.00 
No. XWL. "League Special." Tanned calfskin. Pad- 
ded with felt. Extra long to protect wrist. Highest 
quality workmanship. Full leather lined. Welted 

seams Each, $3.00 

No. 2W. "Minor League." Smoked horse hide. Pro- 
fessional model. Full leather lined. King Patent Felt 
Padding, a? in Nos. SXL, VXL and BBl. Welted 

seams Each, $3.00 

No. 2XR. "Inter:City." Black calfskin. Professional 
style. Specially padded little finger; leather strap at 
thumb. Welted seams. Leather lined. Each, $2.50 
No. 2X. "League." Tanned pearl colored grain lea- 
ther. Model same as No. SS. Welted seams. Leather 

lined Each, $2.50 

No. 2Y. "International." Smoked horse hide. Pro- 
fessional style. Padded little finger; -leather strap at 
thumb. Welted seams. Full leather lined. Each, $2.50 
^^ No. PBL. "Professional Jr." Youths' Professional 
No. ^^HM^^fi^V style. Selected velvet tanned buckskin. Same as PXL 
2XR ^^^^HHB men's size. Leather lined.. Welted seams. Ea..$2.50 

Clove, described on ihh page are made regularly with VVeb of leather between Thumb and First 
Fineer which can be cut out very easily if not required. All Spalding Infielders' Gloves are made 
wiTourdiverted seam (PATENTED MARCH 10, 1908) between fingers, adding considerably to 
the durability of the gloves. 
When Ordering for Left Handed Players Specify "Full Right."^ 




b 



All Styles Made in Rights and Lefts. 



PROMPUnENTION GIVEN 

TO tNr COMMUNICATIONS 

tPBRESSEO TO US 



A.G.SPALDING<SlBROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



COMPLETE LIST OF STORES 

OH INSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOOK 



-vy J, lOI-f^Sutjt^l h il'angt uUhcut nedct. For CenoJian fncw-JCC if«i«/ Canadian Calelt^ue 



suSt^eTHE SPALDING' 





No, 
3X 



5f»v«< 



No. 
XLA 



SPALDING INFIELDERS' GLOVES 

No. 4X. "Association." Brown leather, specially 
treated to make it pliable. Padded little finger; leather 
strap at thumb. Welted seams. Leather lined. $2.00 
No.3X. "Semi-Pro." Gray buck leather. Large model. 
Padded; welted seams. Leather lined. Each, $2.00 
No. 3XR. "Amateur." Black leather. Padded; extra 
large thumb; welted seams. Leather lined. Ea.,$2.00 
No. XL. "Club SpeciaL" Special white tanned lea- 
ther. Correctly padded on professional model. Welted 

seams. Full leather lined Each, $1.50 

No. XLA. "Either Hand." Worn on right or left 
hand. Special white tanned leather. Correctly pad- 
ded. Welted seams. Full leather lined. Each, $1.50 
No. 11. "Match." Professional style. Special tanned 
olive colored leather throughout. Welted seams. 
Correctly padded. Full leather lined. Each, $1.50 
No. ML. "DiaAiond." Special model, very popular. 
Smokedsheepskin.padded. Full leatherlined. Ea.,$1.50 
No. XS. "Practice." Velvet tanned leather. Welted 
seams; inside hump. Full leather lined. Each, $1.25 
No. 15. "Regulation." Men's size. Brown leather, 
padded. Welted seams.' Palm leather lined. Ea.,$1.00 
No. 15R. "Regulation." Men's size. Black leather, 
padded ; inside hump. Palm leather lined. Ea. , $ 1 .00 
No. 10. "Mascot." Men's size. Olive leather, pad- 
ded. Popular model. Palm leather lined. Ea., $1.00 
No. X. Men's size. Oak tanned brown leather. Pro- 
fessional model. Leather strap at thumb; padded. 
•Welted seams. Leatherlined. .. . ; Each, $1.00 
No. XB. "Boys' Special." Professional style. Special 
white leather. Welted seams. Leatherlined. Ea.,$1.00 
No. 12. "Public School." Full size. White chrome lea- 
ther, padded: inside hump. Palm leatherlined. Ea.,75c. 
No. 12R. "League Jr." Full size. Special black 
tanned leather. Lightly padded, but extra long; palm 
leather lined. Welted seams. Inside hump. Ea., 75c. 
No. 16. "Junior." Full size. White chrome leather. No. 
padded; extra long. Palm leather lined. Each, 50c. XB 
No. 13. "Interscholastic." Youths'. Oak tanned 
brown leather. Professional model, leather web at 
thumb; padded. Welted seam.<!. Leatherlined. Ea.,75c. 
No. 16W. "SUr." Full size. White chrome leather. 
Welted seams: padded. Palm leather lined. Ea, 50c. 
No. 14. "Boys' Amateur." Youths' professional style. 
Special tanned white leather, padded; inside hump. 

Palm leather lined ; . . Each, 50c. 

No. 1 7. "Youths.' " Good size. Brown smooth leather. 
Padded; inside hump. Palm leatherlined. Each, 50c. 
No. 18. "Boys' Own." Oak tanned leather. Padded; 
inside hump. Palm leather lined. . . Each, 25c. 
No. 20. "Boys' Favorite." Oak tanned. Properly No, 
padded. Palm leather lined Each, 25c. 14 

Glovei described on thi* page ar^ made regularly with Web of leather between Thumb and Firrt 

Finger, which can be cut out very easily if not required. All Spalding Infielders' Gloves are made- 

with our diverted seam (PATENTED MARCH 10, 1908) between finger?, adding considerably to 

She durability of the gloves. 

^ All Styles Made in Rights and Lefts. ' Vj^en Ordering for Left Handed Players Specify "Full Right."^ 



4 



It] 



^^ 



fih 



( 



PROMPT AHENTION GIVEN I 

TO ANY COMMUNICATIOMSI 

AOBRESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING &, BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



ICOMPlfTE LIST OF STORES 
I INSIDE FRONT COVER 
OF THIS BOOl 



'''. 5uhjcil to (hai\tc uiihoul nolict. For CantJiitn friiu )CC ifccial Ctnaditin Calattfvt. 



[tlilMMI!l«yiWllL'i£@)J71^^ 



GUARANTEES 
QUALITY 









SPALDING BASE BALL MASKS 

Spalding "wy^iii SEMES" Qpen Vision Mask 

No 10-OW. Special welded frame, including wire ear guard 
and circular opening in front. Has best features'of mask man- 
ufacture. Weight is as light as consistent with absolute safety; 
padding conforms to face with comfort. . . . Each, $5.00 

Spalding Open Visron Specially Soldered Frame Mask 
K'o. 8-0. Heavily padded, specially soldered and reinforced 
frame of special steel wire, heavy black finish. Carefully rein- 
forced with hard solder at joining points. This feature of 
maximum strength, together with our patented open vision, 
has the special endorsement of the greatest catchers in the 
National and American Leagues. . ... . . . Each, $5.00 

Spalding "Special Soldered" Masks 
No. 6-0. Each crossing of wires heavily soldered. Extra heavy 
wireframe, black finished; continuous style padding with soft 
chin-pad; special elastic head band. ...... Each, $4.00 

Spalding Open Vision Umpires' Mask 
No 5-0. Open vision frame. Has neck protecting attachment, 
and. a special ear protection; nicely padded. Safest and most 

convenient Each, $5.00 

Spalding "Sun Protecting" Mask 
No. 4-0. I^atent molded leather sun-shade, protecting eyes 
without obstructing view. Finest heavy steel wire, black finish. 
Fitted with soft.chin-pad, improve'd design; hair-filled pads, in- 
cluding forehead pad and special elastic head-band. Each, $4.00 

Spalding "Neck Pi-otecting" Mask 
No. 3-0. Neck protecting arrangement affords positive protec- 
tion to the neck. Finest steel wire, extra heavy black finish; 
comfortable pads and .special elastic head-strap. Each, $3.50 

Spalding "Semi-Pro" League Mask 
No. O-P. Extra heavy best black annealed steel wire. Special 
continuous style side pads, leather covered; special forehead 
and chin-pads; elastic head-band Each, $2.50 

Spalding "Regulation League" Masks 
No.* 2-0. Extra heavy best black annealed steel wire. Full 
length side pads of improved design, and soft forehead and 

chin-pad; special elastic head-band Each, $2.00 

No. O-X. Men's size. Heavy soft annealed steel wire, black 
finish. Improved leather covered pads, including forehead pad; 
molded leather chin-strap. Special elastic head-band. Each, $1.50 
No. OXB. Youths' mask. Black finish, soft annealed steel wire. 
Continuous soft side padding, forehead and chin-pad. Each, $1.50 
No. A. Men's. Black enameled steel wire, leather* covered 
pads, forehead and chin-pad. . . . ^ . . . Each, $1.00 
No. B. Youths'. Black enameled steel wire, and similar in 

quaHty to No. A, but smaller in size Each, $1.00 

No. C. Black enameled; pads covered with leather, wide elas- 
tic head-strap, leather strap-and-buckle. . . . Each, 50c. 
No. D. Black enameled. Smaller than No. C. Substantial for 
boys. . Each, 25c^ 



PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN 

TV ANY COMMUNICATIONS 

ADDRESSED Toys 



A.G.SPALDING & BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



ICOMPLETE LIST OF STORES 

ON INSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOOK 



tPiicu in Kffecl January 5, I9H. Suljtcl to change without notict. For Canadian prfc« «e tpccial Canadian Catalogue. 



standard Policy 



A Standard Qyality must be inseparably linked to a Standard Policy. 

Without a definite and Standard Mercantile Policy, it is impossible for a 
Manufacturer to long maintain a Standard Qyality. 

To market his goods through a jobber, a manufacturer must provide a 
profit for the jobber as well as for the retail dealer. To meet these conditions 
of Dual Profits, the manufacturer is obliged to set a proportionately high list 
price on his goods to the consumer. 

To enable the glib salesman, when booking his orders, to figure out 
attractive profits to l>oth the jobber and retailer, these high list prices are 
absolutely essential; but heir real purpose will have been served when the 
manufacturer has secured his order from the jobber, and the jobber has secured 
his order from the retailer. 

However, these deceptive high list prices are not fair to the consumer, who 
does not, and, in reality, is not ever expected to pay these fancy list prices. 

When the season opens for the sale of such goods, with their misleading 
but alluring high list prices, the retailer begins to realize his responsibilities, and 
grapples with the situation as best he can, by offering "special discounts," 
which vary with local trade conditions. 

Under this system of merchandising, the profits to both the manufacturer 
and the jobber are assured ; but as there is no stability maintained in the prices 
to the consumer, the keen competition amongst the local dealers invariably 
leads to a demoralized cutting of prices by which the profits of the retailer cire 
practically eliminated. 

This demoralization always reacts on the manufacturer. The jobber insists 
on lower, and still lower, prices. The manufacturer, in his turn, meets ti«is 
demand for the lowering of prices by the only way open to him, viz.: the cheap- 
ening and degrading of the quality of his product. 

The foregoing conditions became so intolerable that 15 years ago, in 1899, 
A. G. Spalding & Bros, determined to rectify this demoralization in the Athletic 
Goods Trade, and inaugurated what has since become known as "The Spalding 
Policy." ... 

The "Spalding Policy " eliminates the jobber entirely, so far as Spalding 
Goods are concerned, and the retail dealer secures the supply of Spalding 
Athletic Goods direct from the manufacturer by which the retail dealer is 
assured a fair, legitimate and certain profit on all Spalding Athletic Goods, and 
the consumer is assured a Standard Qyality and is protected from imposition. 

The "Spalding Policy " is decidedly for the interest and protection of the 
users of Athletic Goods, and acts in two ways : 

h'irst. —The user is assured of genuine Official Standard Athletic Goods 
and the same prices to everybody. 

Sec07id.--As manufacturers, we can proceed with confidence in 
purchasing at the proper time, the very best raw materials required 
in the manufacture of our various goods, well ahead of their 
respective seasons, and this enables us to provide the necessary 
quantity and absolutely maintain the Spalding Standard of Qyaliiy. 

All retail dealers handling Spalding Athletic Goods are requested to supply 
consumers at our regular printed catalogue prices— neither more nor less-the same 
prices that sirnilar goods are sold for in our New York, Chicago and other stores. 

All Spalding dealers, as well as users of Spalding Athletic Goods, are treated 
exactly alike, and no special rebates or discriminations are allowed to anyone. 

This briefly, is the "Spalding Policy, ' which has already been in successful 
operation for the past 1 5 years, and will be indefinitely continued. 

In other words, "The Spalding Policy" is a "square deal" for everybody. 

A. G. SPALDING & BROS. 



By ^Z<^ ij^^^^^^^::^^^' 

PKESIDEMT, t.^ 



standard Quality 



An article that is universally given the appellation "Standard" is thereby 
conceded to Le tlie criterion, to w^hich are compared all other things of a similar 
nature. For instance, the Gold Dollar of the United States is the Standard unit 
of currency, because it must legally contain a specific proportion of pure gold, 
and the fact of its being Genuine is guaranteed by the Government Stamp 
ihereon. As a protection to the users of this currency against counterfeiting and 
other tricks, considerable money is expended in maintaining a Secret Service 
Bureau of Experts. Under the law, citizen manufacturers must depend to a 
great extent upon Trade-Marks and similar devices to protect themselves against 
counterfeit products — v/ithout the aid of "Government Detectives'* or "Public 
Opinion ' to assist them. 

Consequently the "Consumer's Protection" against misrepresentation and 
"inferior quality" rests entirely upon the integrity and responsibility of the 
" Manufacturer." 

A. G. Spalding & Bros. have, by their rigorous attention to "Qyality," for 
thirty-eight years, caused their Trade-Mark to become known throughout 
the world as a Guarantee of Quality as dependable in their field as the 
U. S. Currency is in its field. 

The necessity of upholding the Guarantee of the Spalding Trade-Mark and 
maintaining the Standard Quality of their Athletic Goods, is, therefore, as obvi- 
ous as is the necessity of the Government in maintaining a Standard Currency. 

Thus each consumer is not only insuring himself but also protecting other 
consumers when he assists a Reliable Manufacturer in upholding his Trade- 
Mark and all that it stands for. Therefore, we urge all users of our Athletic 
Goods to assist us in maintaining the Spalding Standard of Excellence, by 
insisting that our Trade-Maik be plainly stamped on all athletic goods which 
they buy, because without tl.Is precaution our best efforts towards maintaining 
Standard Quality and preventing fraudulent substitution will be ineffectual. 

Manufacturers of Standard Articles invariably suffer the reputation of being 
high-priced, and this sentiment is fostered and emphasized by makers of 
" inferior goods, " with whom low prices are the main consideration. 

A manufacturer of recognized Standard Goods, with a reputation to uphold 
and a guarantee to protect must necessarily have higher prices than a manufac- 
turer of cheap goods, whose idea of and basis of a claim for Standard Quality 
depends principally upon the eloquence of the salesman. 

We know from experience that there is no quicksand more unstable than 
poverty in quality — and we avoid this quicksand by Standard Quality. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

uiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! 





ATHLETIC JLIE 



005 901 383 fl # 



A separate book covers every Athletic Sport 

and is Official ax\d Standard 

Price 10 cents each 



GRAND PRIZE 







GRAND PRIX 



ST LOUIS 1904 W PA T/DING PARIS. 1900 

ATHLETIC GOODS 

ARE THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD 



A. G. Spalding 'a BROS. 

MAINTAIN WHOLESALE and RETAIL STORES in the FOLLOWING CITIES 
NEW YORK CHICAGO ST.LOUIS 

BOSTON MILWAUKEE KANSAS CITY 

PHILADELPHIA DETROIT SAN FRANCISCO 

NEWARK CINCINNATI LOS ANGELES 

ALBANY CLEVELAND SEATTLE 

, BUFFALO cm SALTLAKECITY 

^ SYRACUSE "" INDIANAPOLIS PORTLAND 

ROCHESTER PITTSBURGH MINNEAPOLIS 

BALTIMORE WASHINGTON ATLANTA ^^^ P^^It., 



LONDON, ENGLAND 

LIVERPOOL. ENGLAND 
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND 
MANCHESTER. ENGLAND 
EDINBURGH. SCOTLAND 
QlASGOW, SCOTLAND 
~ 'tories o^vned and operated I>y A.C.Spat 



LOUISVILLE DENVER 
NEW ORLEANS DALLAS 
MONTREAL. CANADA 
TORONTO, CANADA 
PARIS, FRANCE 
SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA 

mo <5r Bros, and where ell of Spaldmys 



::"Mr/,^ xt«.v,:;c::;rc;r.T« ... <«...« ,> ... /»«<,»...^ c,u^ 



Ji^yiV YORK 
BROOKLYN 



CHICAGO 
BOSTON 



SAN FRANCISCO 
FHILADEL.PHIA 



CHICOPEE. MASS. 
LONDON, ENG. 



